Man accused of threatening bicyclists with handgun

A 25-year-old Gardnerville Ranchos man is to appear Aug. 3 in court to answer charges he threatened a a group of bicyclists with a loaded handgun and threw a cable lock at them from his vehicle.

Santino Calabrese is to appear in East Fork Justice Court on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a dangerous drug without a prescription, drawing a dangerous weapon and threats.

On June 11 at 9:15 p.m. deputies were contacted about a silver sedan that allegedly passed a group of bicyclists on Buckeye Road and pointed a handgun at them.

Two minutes later, according to reports, a deputy caught up with the vehicle in the parking lot of Liras Market.

The deputy said Calabrese, the driver, admitted he had the handgun in his vehicle. He said the bicyclists were riding in the roadway and spit on his car. One of the bicyclists identified Calabrese as the suspect, according to reports.

The witness said he was riding north on Highway 395 just south of Buckeye Road with eight-to-10 riders when Calabrese allegedly pulled along side, called them an obscenity and threw a cup of liquid at the lead rider. The witness said he caught up to the car and the driver pulled out a silver handgun and pointed it toward the windshield of the vehicle.

He said the driver made a U-turn and headed back towards them. As the vehicle approached, the driver threw a fist-sized chain lock at them.

Calabrese reportedly told the deputy he picked up the gun because he was upset the bicyclists reportedly spit on his car, and he had no intention of using it to defend himself.

Deputies reportedly found Vicodin, Valium, Acepromazine and Xanax in the car without a prescription for the suspect.